Constant current source

ABSTRACT

A constant current generating circuit is provided which comprises first, second, third and fourth transistors of one conductivity type, each having base, emitter and collector electrodes, and a voltage supply source having first and second voltage terminals. In this case, the collector and emitter electrodes of the first transistor are respectively connected to the first and second voltage terminals with a first impedance between the collector electrode and first voltage terminal; the emitter electrode of the second transistor is connected to the second voltage terminal through a second impedance; the emitter electrode of the third transistor is connected to the second voltage terminal through a third impedance; the emitter electrode of the fourth transistor is connected to the second voltage terminal; the base electrode of the first transistor is connected to the emitter electrode of the second transistor; the collector electrode of the first transistor is connected commonly to the base electrodes of the second and third transistors; the emitter electrode of the third transistor is connected to the base electrode of the fourth transistor; and a current utilizing means is connected between the first voltage terminal and at least one of the collector electrodes of the second, third and fourth transistors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a constant current source and is directed more particularly to a transistor constant current source.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In a prior art constant current source shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the following equation (1) is established between a base-emitter voltage V_(BE) of a transistor used therein and its emitter current I_(E).

    V.sub.BE =(kT/q)ln(I.sub.E /I.sub.s)                       (1)

where

k is the Boltzmann's constant;

T is the absolute temperature;

q is the charge of an electron; and

I_(s) is the saturated current in the reverse direction.

Between the saturated current I_(s) in the reverse direction and an emitter-base junction area A of the transistor, established is the following equation (2).

    I.sub.s =γ·A                                (2)

where γ is a proportional constant.

In the prior art circuit of FIG. 1, since the base-emitter voltage of a transistor Q₁ is equal to that of another transistor Q₂, the following equation (3) is established from the equations (1) and (2).

    (I.sub.E1 /I.sub.E2)=(A.sub.1 /A.sub.2)                    (3)

where

I_(E1) is the emitter current of the transistor Q₁ ;

I_(E2) is the emitter current of the transistor Q₂ ;

A₁ is the emitter-base junction area of the transistor Q₁ ; and

A₂ is the emitter-base junction area of the transistor Q₂.

If the current amplification factor h_(FE) of each of the transistors Q₁ and Q₂ is assumed sufficiently large, the base current thereof can be neglected. Therefore, the following relation (4) can be derived. ##EQU1## where I₁ is the collector current of the transistor Q₁ ; and

I₂ is the collector current of the transistor Q₂.

From the equations (3) and (4), obtained is the following equation (5)

    (I.sub.2 /I.sub.1)=(A.sub.2 /A.sub.1)                      (5)

Since the following equation (6) is established on the transistor Q₁, ##EQU2## where V_(CC) is the voltage of a power source; and

R₁ is the resistance value of a resistor R₁ connected to the collector of the transistor Q₁, the current I₂ can be expressed from the equations (5) and (6) as follows: ##EQU3##

Therefore, the transistor Q₂ serves as a constant current source of the absorption type with the current represented by the equation (7).

With the above prior art circuit, since relation or ratio between the currents I₁ and I₂ is represented by the equation (5), if the ratio I₂ /I₁ is large, for example, the current I₂ is selected large as 100 times as the current I₁, it is necessary that the junction area A₂ is selected 100 times of the junction area A₁. Thus, the above prior circuit requires a large area and hence it is not suitable to be made as an IC (integrated circuit). While, in the case that the ratio I₂ /I₁ is small, if the current I₂ is selected 1/100 of the current I₁, the junction area A₁ must be selected as large as 100 times of that A₂. Thus, this case is not suitable as an IC, too.

In the prior art circuit of FIG. 2, the following equation (8) is established on the base of the transistor Q₂.

    I.sub.1 R.sub.1 +V.sub.BE1 =I.sub.2 R.sub.3 +V.sub.BE2     ( 8)

where

V_(BE1) is the base-emitter voltage of the transistor Q₁ ;

V_(BE2) is the base-emitter voltage of the transistor Q₂ ; and

R₃ is the resistance value of a resistor R₃ connected to the emitter of the transistor Q₂.

Since the following equation (9) is established, the equation (10) can be obtained from the equations (8) and (9). ##EQU4## where R₂ is the resistance value of a resistor R₂ connected to the emitter of the transistor Q₁.

If the voltage drop across the resistor R₁ is about the base-emitter voltage V_(BE), the second term in the brace of the equation (10) is small and hence neglected. Thus, the equation (10) can be considered as follows:

    (I.sub.2 /I.sub.1)≅(R.sub.2 /R.sub.3)            (11)

Accordingly, the current I₂ can be expressed as follows: ##EQU5##

Therefore, the transistor Q₂ functions as a constant current source of the absorption type with the current expressed by the equation (12).

Since, however, a resistor of an IC is generally formed by the diffusion of impurity, the area of the resistor in the IC is in proportion to the resistance value thereof. In the case of the constant current circuit of FIG. 2, since the relation between the currents I₁ and I₂ is represented by the equation (11), if the current I₂ is selected, for example, 100 times of the current I₁, the resistor R₂ must be made to have the resistance value as 100 times as that of the resistor R₃. That is, the area of the resistor R₃ must be formed as 100 times as that of the resistor R₂. Thus, the IC becomes large in area and hence the circuit of FIG. 2 is unsuitable as an IC, too.

FIG. 3 shows a practical circuit which is formed by using the constant current circuit of FIG. 2 to derive six constant current outputs I₂ to I₇. If the circuit of FIG. 3 is formed as an IC, the area occupied by one transistor in the IC is approximately equal to the area of a resistor with the resistance value of 2 KΩ which is formed by the diffusion of impurity. Therefore, the constant current circuit of FIG. 3 satisfies following values.

    112+1+1+1+4.8+17+33+100+2×6=281.8

    281.8/2=140.9

That is, the circuit of FIG. 3 requires the area corresponding to a resistor of 281.8 KΩ or the area corresponding to 140.9 transistors.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel constant current source.

Another object of the invention is to provide a constant current source small in occupying area even if the current ratio is large.

A further object of the invention is to provide a constant current source suitable to be formed as an IC.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a constant current generating circuit which comprises:

(A) first, second, third and fourth transistors of one conductivity type each having base, emitter and collector electrodes;

(B) a voltage supply source having first and second voltage terminals;

(C) circuit means for connecting the collector and emitter electrodes of said first transistor to said first and second voltage terminals respectively with a first impedance means between the collector electrode and said first voltage terminal;

(D) circuit means for connecting the emitter electrode of said second transistor to said second voltage terminal through a second impedance;

(E) circuit means for connecting the emitter electrode of said third transistor to said second voltage terminal through a third impedance;

(F) circuit means for connecting the emitter electrode of said fourth transistor to said second voltage terminal;

(G) circuit means for connecting the base electrode of said first transistor to said emitter electrode of said second transistor;

(H) circuit means for connecting said collector electrode of said first transistor to the base electrodes of said second and third transistors respectively;

(I) circuit means for connecting said emitter electrode of said third transistor to the base electrode of said fourth transistor; and

(J) current utilizing means connected between said first voltage terminal and at least one of the collector electrodes of said second, third and fourth transistors.

The other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings through which the like reference designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 to 3 are respectively connection diagrams showing prior art constant current circuits; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively connection diagrams showing examples of the constant current source according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first example of the constant current source according to the present invention will be now described with reference to FIG. 4. In this example, the collector of a transistor Q₁ is connected through a resistor R₁ to a power source terminal T₁ supplied with a voltage +V_(CC) and the emitter thereof is grounded. Transistors Q₂ and Q₃ have the bases commonly connected to the collector of the transistor Q₁ and the emitters respectively grounded through a resistors R₂ and R₃. The emitter of the transistor Q₂ is also connected to the base of the transistor Q₁. The emitter of the transistor Q₃ is connected to the base of a transistor Q₄ which has the emitter grounded.

According to the circuit construction of FIG. 4, the following equation (13) is established on the bases of the transistors Q₂ and Q₃.

    V.sub.BE1 +V.sub.BE2 =V.sub.BE3 +V.sub.BE4

where

V_(BE3) is the base-emitter voltage V_(BE) of the transistor Q₃ ; and

V_(BE4) is the base-emitter voltage V_(BE) of the transistor Q₄.

From the equations (1) and (13), derived is the following equation (14).

    I.sub.1 ·I.sub.2 =I.sub.3 ·I.sub.4       (14)

where

I₃ is the collector current of the transistor Q₃ ; and

I₄ is the collector current of the transistor Q₄.

If the following conditions are satisfied for the sake of brevity,

    V.sub.BE1 =V.sub.BE2 =V.sub.BE3 =V.sub.BE4 =V.sub.BE

the currents I₁, I₂ and I₃ can be respectively expressed as follows: ##EQU6##

From the equations (14) to (17), the current I₄ is expressed as follows:

    I.sub.4 =(R.sub.2 /R.sub.1)I.sub.1                         (18)

As set forth above, the circuit of FIG. 4 can provide the constant currents I₂ to I₄ which are expressed by the equations (16) to (18), respectively. In the example of the invention shown in FIG. 4, all the transistors Q₁ to Q₄ can be made equal in the junction area, or no large junction area is required. Therefore, the constant current source shown in FIG. 4 is advantageous when it is made as an IC.

In the case of the prior art circuit shown in FIG. 2, the following equation (19) is established. ##EQU7##

While, in the circuit of the invention shown in FIG. 4, the following equation (20) is derived from the equation (15). ##EQU8##

Thus, if the reference current I₁ is same through the circuits of FIGS. 2 and 4, the resistance value R₁ expressed by the equation (20) is smaller than the value (R₁ +R₂) expressed by the equation (19) by the amount corresponding to the voltage V_(BE). As a result, the area occupied by the resistor R₁ (in FIG. 2, R₁ and R₂) which determines the current I₁ can be reduced, and hence the circuit of FIG. 4 is suitable to be made as an IC.

FIG. 5 shows a circuit which is made by using the circuit of FIG. 4 and produces constant current outputs similar to those of FIG. 3. In the circuit of FIG. 5, the following values are satisfied.

    106+33+1+2×12=164 (KΩ)

    164/2=82

Therefore, the circuit of FIG. 5 requires only the area corresponding to the resistor of 164 KΩ or 82 transistors in an IC. This value is 58% area of the circuit shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, the circuit of FIG. 5 is advantageous when it is made as an IC.

Further, when the output currents I₂ and I₃ of the circuit shown in FIG. 3 are compared with those I₇ and I₈ of the circuit shown in FIG. 5, the currents I₂ and I₃ of the circuit shown in FIG. 3 depend on four resistors R₁ to R₄, while the currents I₇ and I₈ of the circuit shown in FIG. 5 depend on only the resistor R₁. Therefore, the currents I₇ and I₈ are less scattered. Even if the currents I₇ and I₈ are scattered, the scattering direction thereof is equal. This means that the circuit of FIG. 5 is suitable to be made as an IC, too.

Though not shown, it may be possible to connect an emitter resistor to each of the transistors Q₁ and Q₄.

It will be apparent that many modifications and variations could be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirits and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention so that the spirits and scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claim only. 

We claim as our Invention:
 1. A constant current generating circuit comprising:(A) first, second, third and fourth transistors of one conductivity type each having base, emitter and collector electrodes; (B) a voltage supply source having first and second voltage terminals; (C) circuit means for connecting the collector and emitter electrodes of said first transistor to said first and second voltage terminals respectively with a first impedance means between the collector electrode and said first voltage terminal; (D) circuit means for connecting the emitter electrode of said second transistor to said second voltage terminal through a second impedance; (E) circuit means for connecting the emitter electrode of said third transistor to said second voltage terminal through a third impedance; (F) circuit means for connecting the emitter electrode of said fourth transistor to said second voltage terminal; (G) circuit means for connecting the base electrode of said first transistor to said emitter electrode of said second transistor; (H) circuit means for connecting said collector electrode of said first transistor to the base electrodes of said second and third transistors respectively; (I) circuit means for connecting said emitter electrode of said third transistor to the base electrode of said fourth transistor; and (J) current utilizing means connected between said first voltage terminal and at least one of the collector electrodes of said second, third and fourth transistors. 